A Detailed Analysis of Lightning Deaths in the United States from 2006 through 2013

John S. Jensenius, Jr.

Lightning Safety Specialist

National Weather Service, NOAA

Executive Summary

From 2006 through 2013, 261 people were struck and killed by lightning in the United States. Almost

two thirds of the deaths occurred to people who had been enjoying outdoor leisure activities. The

common belief that golfers are responsible for the greatest number of lightning deaths was shown to be a

myth. During this 8-year period fishermen accounted for more than three times as many fatalities as

golfers, while camping and boating each accounted for almost twice as many deaths as golf. From 2006

to 2013, there were a total of 30 fishing deaths, 16 camping deaths, and 14 boating deaths, and 13 beach

deaths. Of the sports activities, soccer saw the greatest number of deaths with 12, as compared to golf

with 8. Around the home, yard work (including mowing the lawn) accounted for 12 fatalities. For work-

related activities, ranching/farming topped the list with 14 deaths.

Males accounted for 81% of all fatalities, and more than 90 % of the deaths in the fishing and sports

categories. Females had comparatively fewer deaths than men in every category, with their highest

percentages in the boating-related activities (35%) and routine daily/weekly activities (36%).

June, July, and August are the peak months for lightning activity across the United States and the peak

months for outdoor summer activities. As a result, more than 70% of the lightning deaths occurred in the

months of June, July, and August, with Saturdays and Sundays having slightly more deaths than other

days of the week.

Ages of the victims varied from young children to older adults with the greatest number of fatalities

between the ages of 10 and 60. Within that age range, there were fewer deaths for people in their 30s,

possibly due to parents of young children being less involved in vulnerable activities.

Based on the media reports of the fatal incidents, many victims were either headed to safety at the time of

the fatal strike or were just steps away from safety. Continued efforts are needed to convince people to

get inside a safe place before the lightning threat becomes significant. For many activities, situational

awareness and proper planning are essential to safety.

A Detailed Analysis Of Lightning Deaths in the United States from 2006 through 2013

John S. Jensenius, Jr.

Lightning Safety Specialist

National Weather Service, NOAA

Abstract

Lightning fatality data were examined from 2006 to 2013. While male victims dominated the fatality

statistics, distinct patterns emerged in terms of the age, gender, and activity of the victims. The majority

of victims were male aged 10 to 60. About two thirds of the victims were enjoying outdoor leisure

activities before being struck, with water-related activities topping the list. Of the water-related activities,

fishing ranked highest with boating and beach activities also contributing significantly to the water-

related deaths. Among the sports activities, soccer ranked highest, followed by golf and running. Males

dominated every category and sub-category of age and activity examined.

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The National Weather Service is responsible for documenting weather-related casualties in the United

States in a publication called Storm Data. This documented information can then be used to study

weather-related incidents in order to find ways to minimize the impacts from weather. Storm Data is

typically available two to three months after the end of each month. While Storm Data remains the

official source of weather-related casualties, in 2006, the National Weather Service created an online

database of lightning fatalities in the U.S. to provide scientists, the media, and the public more detailed

and up-to-date information on lightning fatalities. For this study, the detailed information in this database

was used to study the demographics and activities of recent lightning fatalities in the U.S.

A similar study was conducted by Curran, et al (1997) for the period from 1959 through 1994 based on

information in Storm Data. The current analysis provides an update to some of the information in the

original study, but with the benefit of having more detailed information about the activities of the

lightning victims.

This study does not examine the geographic distribution of lightning fatalities. Geographic information

for the most recent 10-year period is available for actual deaths per state and for per capita per state on

NOAA's Lightning Safety Web Site (Holle, 2013).

2.0 METHODOLOGY

Lightning fatality data from 2006 to 2013 were examined and categorized based on gender, age, month,

day-of-week, and activity. While the data were easily categorized by age, gender, month, and day-of-

week, activity presented more of a challenge. To obtain the most pertinent results, the victims’ activities

were divided into a series of cascading categories, sub-categories, and tertiary categories. The category

and sub-categories assigned to each victim were based on the activity that the put the victim at risk, rather

than what the victim was doing at the time of the fatal lightning strike. For example, if a person had been

fishing, but was walking to a car when struck, the fatality was categorized as fishing, rather than walking.

For this study, the fatality data were stratified into four main categories: work-related activities, leisure

activities, daily routine, and unknown.

2.1 Work-related Activities

A lightning fatality was categorized as work related if the victim was involved in an activity that provided

a significant portion of his/her income. Examples include roofing, farming/ranching, lawn/garden care,

construction, the military, barge workers, and other. Note that fatalities which occurred when traveling to

or from work were categorized as daily/weekly routine, rather than work. Also, lawn care and gardening

activities were only included in this category if the victim was employed to do the work. Other lawn care

and gardening victims were categorized as either daily/weekly routine or leisure, depending on the

situation.

2.2 Daily or Weekly Routine

A lightning fatality was categorized as daily/weekly routine if the activity was done on a regular basis and

not work or leisure related. Many of these activities might be considered daily or weekly chores. This

category also included young victims that were working/doing chores for their parents. Activities might

include yard work, taking out the trash, feeding or walking domestic animals, traveling or walking to or

from work, talking on the phone, taking laundry off a clothes line, etc.

2.3 Leisure

A lightning fatality was categorized as leisure if the victim had been involved with any sort of leisure

activity. Sub-categories of leisure activities included water-related activities; sports-related activities;

camping; riding (ATV’s or bikes); social gatherings such as picnics; walking; playing; and relaxing

outside the home. Also, the sub-category of water-related activities was further divided into fishing,

boating, swimming, and the beach. In addition, the sub-category of sports-related activities was further

divided into soccer, golf, baseball, football, and running.

2.4 Unknown

In some cases, the victim’s activity prior to the fatal strike could not be determined from the available

information. The activity of these victims fell into the unknown category.

3.0 RESULTS

Results from this study are presented in graphical and textual format. The number of cases that went into

each category and subcategory are given in the graphic showing the results. No attempt was made to

determine the statistical significance of any of the findings as the data samples were necessarily small.

3.1 Gender

Figure 3.1 shows the overall ratio of male to female deaths. Overall, 81% of the victims during the study

period were male. The predominance of male victims is fairly consistent from year to year. Male

percentages for individual years within the study period ranged from 73% male in 2011 to 89% male in

2007 and 2012.

3.2 Age

Figure 3.2a shows a summary of the age categories

of the victims. The greatest number of fatalities

occurred between the ages of 10 and 60, with

somewhat less in the 30-39 age category. While

there is no conclusive evidence why this minimum

should occur, possible hypotheses include that

parents in this age category with young children are

either more cautious when thunderstorms are in the

area, or parental duties limit the amount of time they

spend participating in vulnerable activities. Figure

3.2b is similar to 3.2a, except that the fatalities are

given independently for both male and female

victims.

3.3 Month

Figure 3.3 shows a stratification of lightning

fatalities by month. About 70% of the lightning

fatalities occur in June, July, or August. These

months not only have the greatest amount of

lightning activity in the U.S., but they are also the

months when people spend more time outside

enjoying a variety of recreational and leisure

activities.

3.4 Day of the Week

Figure 3.4 shows a stratification of lightning

fatalities by the day of the week. While all days of

the week see a significant number of fatalities, the

weekend days, particularly Saturday, have the

Figure 3.1 Ratio of male to female lightning fatalities 2006-2013.

Figure 3.2a Number of lightning fatalities from 2006 through 2013 by age category.

Figure 3.2b Number of lightning fatalities from 2006 through 2013 by age category and gender.

Figure 3.3 Number of lightning fatalities from 2006 through 2013 by month.

greatest number of fatalities. Presumably, this is

because people spend more time outside and are

involved in activities that make them more vulnerable

to being struck by lightning.

3.5 Activities

Figure 3.5a shows the overall breakdown of lightning

fatalities into the four primary categories. Of the 261

lightning deaths between 2006 and 2013, leisure

activities were responsible for 167, almost two-thirds

(64%) of the deaths. During the period, there were 42

fatalities (17%) related to routine daily or weekly

activities, and 38 fatalities (15%) related to work.

Figures 3.5b and 3.5c show similar charts for male

(211 cases) and female (50 cases) victims,

respectively. In both cases, leisure activities

contributed to the majority of deaths. However,

compared with males, females had a smaller

percentage of deaths in the leisure and work

categories and a larger percentage of deaths in the

daily routine category.

3.51 Leisure-related Deaths

Leisure activities contributed to 64% of the overall

deaths from lightning. Figure 3.51a shows the

overall breakdown of leisure-related deaths. Water-

related activities contributed to 37% of leisure-related

Figure 3.4 Number of lightning fatalities by day of week.

Figure 3.5a Percent of deaths by activity

Figure 3.5b Percent of deaths by activity – males only

Figure 3.5c Percent of deaths by activity – females only

fatalities. Water-related activities include fishing, boating, swimming, or just relaxing at a beach or lake.

Sports-related activities contributed another 17%. Sports-related fatalities include soccer, golf, running,

baseball, and football. Other activities that contributed to the deaths in the leisure category included

camping (10%); riding bikes, motorcycles and ATVs (6%); social gatherings (6%); relaxing outside the

home (5%), walking (4%), children’s play (2%), tourism (2%), and "other" (5%). The "other" category

included: hunting, tourism, horseback riding, watching a car race, watching a fire, watching a swollen

river, and getting better cell phone reception.

Figure 3.51b shows the gender breakdown for the leisure activities. About 83% of the victims involved in

leisure activities were male.

3.511 Water-related Lightning Deaths

Figure 3.511a shows the breakdown of water-

related fatalities. Fishing contributed to almost

half (48%) of the water-related deaths with boating

(power boats, canoes, sailboats, tubes) adding

another 23%. About 21% of the victims were

relaxing on a beach, while about 8% of the victims

had been swimming. The gender breakdown for

water-related activities (not shown) was similar to

the overall gender ratio with about 83% of the

water related fatalities being male.

Figures 3.511b, 3.511c, and 3.511d show the

gender ratios for the fishing, boating and beach

categories. While the overall number of cases in each category was relatively small, males dominated

each of the water-related activities, especially fishing.

Figure 3.51a Percent of deaths by sub-category for leisure activities.

Figure 3.51b Ratio of male to female deaths for leisure-related activities.

Figure 3.511a Percent of deaths by specific activity for water-related sub-category.

3.512. Sports-related Lightning Deaths

Figure 3.512a shows the breakdown of sports-related fatalities. Soccer contributed most to the sports-

related deaths (41%), followed by golf (28%), running (17%), baseball (10%), and football (3%). Figure

3.512b shows that the vast majority of the victims in those sports-related deaths were male.

3.52 Daily Routine-related Deaths

Activities that would be considered part of the victim's daily or weekly routine contributed to 17% of the

overall deaths from lightning. Figure 3.52a shows the breakdown of those deaths. Victims that were

walking to, walking from, or waiting for a vehicle contributed to 19% of the daily routine-related

fatalities; victims walking to or from a home accounted for 21% of the fatalities; and yard work

(excluding mowing) accounted for another 19%. Other daily routine-related fatalities included mowing

the lawn (10%), taking out the trash (5%), checking/feeding animals (7%), farm chores (5%), and

traveling to/from work on a motorcycle (5%). The "Other" category contributed 9% which included

lowering the blinds on a window, talking on a corded phone, taking laundry off the clothes line, and

working on a vehicle.

Figure 3.511b Ratio of male to female fishing deaths.

Figure 3.511c Ratio of male to female boating deaths.

Figure 3.511d Ratio of male to female beach deaths.

Figure 3.512a Percent of deaths by specific activity for the sports-related sub-category.

Figure 3.512a Ratio of male to female deaths for the sports-related sub-category.

Figure 3.52b shows the ratio of male to female deaths for the daily-routine category. Overall, males

contributed most of the daily routine-related deaths (64%), however, females had a much higher

contribution in this category than any other category. Of note, more than half of the 9 deaths walking to

or from the home were female and both victims that were taking out the trash were female.

3.53 Work-related Deaths

Work-related activities contributed to 15% of the total lightning fatalities. Figure 3.53a shows the

breakdown of the work-related deaths. Farming/ranching-related activities contributed most (37%) to the

work-related deaths. Other activities included construction (11%), lawn care (8%), roofing (8%),

military work (5%), barge work (5%), and other (24%). Included in the other category were deaths

related to loading and washing trucks, surveying, door-to-door sales, logging, mail delivery, tornado

rescue, utility repair, and work at an amusement park.

Figure 3.53b shows the gender ratio for the work-related category. About 89% of the fatalities were male.

Only the sub-category of the military had more female deaths (2) than male deaths (0).

Figure 3.52a Percent of deaths by activity sub-category for routine daily or weekly activities.

Figure 3.52b Ratio of male to female deaths for routine daily or weekly activities.

Figure 3.53b Ratio of male to female deaths for work-related activities.

Figure 3.53a Percent of deaths by activity sub-category for work-related activities.

3.6 Actual Number of Deaths by Activity

Table 3.6 lists the 12 activities that contributed

most to lightning deaths in the U.S. These 12

activities accounted for 153 (59%) of the 261

lightning deaths from 2006 to 2013. Fishing was,

by far, the most deadly activity, accounting for

about 11% of the lightning deaths. It was followed

by camping, boating, soccer, beach activities,

ranching/farming, riding, and social gatherings.

Yard work, walking to/from a vehicle, walking

to/from home, and golf all tied for 9th place on the

list.

4.0 FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO LIGHTNING FATALITIES

In order to understand why these deadly activities rank the way they do, the various factors that contribute

to lightning fatalities need to be examined. These factors include the willingness to cancel or postpone

activities, the ability to be aware of an approaching or developing storm, the vulnerability of the actual

activity, and the ability to get to a safe place quickly.

4.1 Willingness to cancel or postpone activities

In the busy life schedules of today's society, very few people like to alter their plans. Although many

outdoor activities are cancelled in advance due to threat of a steady rain, few are cancelled in advance due

to the threat of a potentially deadly thunderstorm. For outdoor activities, there is a balance between

safety and convenience. People who don't alter outdoor plans when thunderstorms are forecast (or

occurring) are unnecessarily putting themselves at risk of being struck by lightning. For any activity

where a safe shelter is not readily available, there is no safe alternative but to cancel or postpone the

activity in advance if thunderstorms are forecast.

4.2 Being aware of approaching or developing storms

Certain activities limit a person's ability to monitor conditions. In particular, any background noise may

limit a person's ability to hear distant thunder from an approaching or nearby storm. Mountains, trees, or

buildings may impair a person's view of the horizon and limit the ability to watch for signs of developing

storms. Recent advances in cell phone technology and the availability of lightning notification services

may help provide advance warning in these situations.

4.3 Vulnerability of the activity.

Being outdoors any time a thunderstorm is in the area is dangerous. However, some activities cause

people to be more vulnerable to a lightning strike, and, in particular, a direct lightning strike. Direct

strikes are a greater threat to people in open areas such as sports fields or on the water.

Activity # of Deaths ( % )

Fishing 30 ( 11%)

Camping 16 ( 6%)

Boating 14 ( 5%)

Soccer 12 ( 5%)

Beach 13 ( 5%)

Farming or ranching 14 ( 5%)

Riding bike, motorcycle, or ATV 11 ( 4%)

Social gathering 10 ( 4%)

Walking to/from home 9 ( 3%)

Yard work 8 ( 3%)

Walking to/from or waiting for vehicle 8 ( 3%)

Golf 8 ( 3%)

Total 153 ( 59%)

Table 3.6 The twelve activities that contribute most to

lightning deaths.

4.4 Ability and willingness to get to a safe place quickly

The inability and unwillingness to get to a safe place in a timely manner both contribute to many

lightning fatalities. Many people wait far too long to start heading to safety, and that puts them in a

dangerous and potentially deadly situation. In fact, a number of lightning victims in this study were

seeking safety when they were struck – the problem is that they just didn't start soon enough. In some

cases, people decide to wait to see if the conditions improve rather than heading toward safety

immediately. It's important to note that some activities require a considerable amount of time to get to a

safe place. In those instances, it is imperative that people in charge or involved in the activities monitor

conditions and head to safety immediately at the first signs of a developing storm.

5.0 DISCUSSION

Based on the statistics for gender, the vast majority of lightning victims are male. Possible explanations

for this finding are that males are unaware of all the dangers associated with lightning, are more likely to

be in vulnerable situations, are unwilling to be inconvenienced by the threat of lightning, are in situations

that make it difficult to get to a safe place in a timely manner, don't react quickly to the lightning threat, or

any combination of these explanations. In short, because of their behavior, males are at a higher risk of

being struck and, consequently, are struck and killed by lightning more often than females.

The data also showed that leisure-related activities are the greatest source of lightning fatalities. In

particular, the combination of fishing and boating activities account for 17% of all lightning deaths.

These activities are especially dangerous because fishermen and boaters are likely out in the open and

more vulnerable to a direct lightning strike; the background noise of a motor or water may limit their

ability to hear thunder; and they may need extra time to get to a safe place. In these cases, the key is to

monitor weather conditions closely and react to any developing threat quickly. While many of the fishing

and boating victims realized that a dangerous situation was developing and were heading toward safety,

they just didn't react soon enough to avoid being struck.

Camping was the second greatest contributor to lightning deaths. In many cases, the victims were only

steps away from a vehicle that could have provided safety. In some of these cases, skies may have been

obscured by mountains or trees, and the victims just didn't realize a storm was nearby. In other cases,

though, the threat was likely ignored. In a few cases where the fatal incident was in a remote area far

from a safe place, there may have been little or nothing the victim could do at that time to be safe. In

these cases, canceling or postponing the activity may have been the only course of action that would have

provided safety.

Sports-related activities contributed to 11% of the total lightning deaths, with soccer contributing most to

the death toll. For most incidents, safety was nearby in the form of a building or vehicle. Many victims

failed to react quickly to the imminent danger. A few of the running victims were some distance from

safety and should have listened to the forecast and chosen a route that would have allowed them to get to

a safe place sooner.

Beach activities also contributed significantly to the lightning death toll. In some cases, the sounds of the

surf may have masked the sound of thunder which could have provided an earlier awareness that

thunderstorms were developing or approaching. In other cases, due to a lack of situational awareness,

victims had walked or run along the beach and may have been far from safety when the storm

approached.

For most farming or ranching victims, there was typically a vehicle or building nearby. In these cases, the

victims either didn't recognize the warning signs soon enough or didn't act promptly to get to a safe place.

There also were a number of people killed while riding in open vehicles including bicycles, motorcycles,

and all-terrain vehicles. As with many other activities, situational awareness, and not venturing too far

from a safe shelter are key to staying safe. Some victims may have been a long distance from safety

when the storm approached. Although most people are aware that the rubberized tires on these vehicles

do not protect a person from lightning, there are likely some people that continue to believe this myth.

Finally, there were quite a few people killed around their home, business, or neighborhood. Most of these

victims were only steps from safety. In fact, some even walked outside just before being struck. Others

were doing outdoor chores or relaxing outside the home. In these cases, the key to safety is just to go

inside and not take chances. It’s important for people to remember that they should go inside

immediately if they hear thunder or the sky looks threatening, and then wait at least 30 minutes after the

last lightning or thunder before returning back outside.

6.0 CONCLUSIONS

This paper examined and analyzed lightning fatalities in the U.S. from 2006 through 2013. The common

belief that golfers are responsible for the greatest number of lightning deaths was shown to be a myth.

During this 8-year period, fishermen accounted for more than three times as many fatalities as golfers,

while camping and boating each accounted for almost twice as many deaths as golf did. The key to being

safe in a thunderstorm is to get to a safe place before the lightning threat becomes significant. Activities

such as fishing, boating, and camping may require that those involved in these activities be particularly

wary of developing and approaching storms so that they can get to a safe place quickly. When planning

an activity, if a safe shelter is not readily available and thunderstorms are forecast, the only safe solution

is to cancel or postpone the activity.

For many of the lightning victims, safe shelters were available; however, the victims simply did not act

soon enough to get to safety before they were struck. In order to reduce the number of lightning deaths,

the public must continue to be made aware of the dangers of lightning, and also why it is so important to

act quickly to avoid the lightning threat. To protect the public, the National Weather Service and NOAA

have an ongoing effort to reduce lightning deaths, highlighted by the NOAA Lightning Safety Web Site

and an annual national Lightning Safety Awareness Week. The broadcast and print media also play an

important role in getting information out to the public. The results of this study will hopefully provide

new material that will help reduce lightning casualties.

7.0 REFERENCES

Curran, E.B., R.L. Holle, and R.E. Lopez, 1995: Lightning Fatalities, Injuries and Damage Reports in the

United States,1959-1994, NOAA Tech. Memo. No. NWS SR-193, October 1997

Holle, R. L., 2013: Lightning Deaths by State and Deaths Population Weighted, NOAA Lightning Safety

Web Site, http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/stats/03-12_deaths_by_state.pdf